Five episodes in, the highly anticipated action series is undoubtedly must-see TV
“Incognito” is the top TV show on Netflix PH. The highly anticipated series debuted on Jan. 17 and currently has five episodes, with the next coming on the 24th.
Starring Richard Gutierrez, Ian Veneracion, Daniel Padilla, Baron Geisler, Maris Racal, Anthony Jennings, and Kaila Estrada, “Incognito” follows a band of misfits recruited into an elite military unit tasked with the government’s sensitive affairs. Their first mission involves the rescue of an ambassador’s daughter played by Belle Mariano. The rest of the cast includes Eddie Gutierrez, Agot Isidro, Ryan Eigenmann, Elijah Canlas, and Jane de Leon.
The series promises high-octane action, a gripping narrative, and industry-defining VFX and fight choreography led by their star-studded cast. Unfortunately, before its debut, attention surrounding “Incognito” was not fueled by excitement for the show, but by the recent Racal-Jennings controversy. However, just with its first five episodes, the action series has shown its merits alone are worth the conversation.
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The A-Team delivers
“Incognito” is highlighted by its dynamic action sequences and elaborate operation plans. However, although we’ve only seen a limited number of such scenes—mostly close-quarter combat rather than large-scale gunfights—for now, the show has evidently placed its money where its mouth is.
Gutierrez and Padilla specifically delivered in their respective action scenes. Each of their sequences were relatively long takes and did not hide the actors behind rough camera angles and jarring cuts no viewer could follow. Rather, both the lead actors displayed an acute understanding of their choreography and delivered each blow with a level of precision you would expect from the professionals they are playing. That said, occasionally, you may catch movements that are overly exaggerated and not quite as crisp, but it’s still all in all a step above the typical “Batang Quiapo” brawl.
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Practical and digital effects have also taken a step up. Blood splatters, gunshots, and spy gear are as realistic as they can be and don’t affect immersion the way they do in lower-budget flicks. Unfortunately, huge explosions aren’t quite as detailed as those previously mentioned and look as if they were pasted above a shot.
Jennings surprises in his portrayal of the unpolished yet hearty Tomas Guerrero. Although effectively the show’s comic relief, he captures an additional dimension to the character that makes the rookie operative intriguing far beyond his caricature.
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Promising but not perfect
That said, “Incognito” is not without flaws—and much of it falls down to the writing.
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slotscalendarThe show mainly suffers from an inability to decide when to show and when to tell. It constantly relies on unnatural dialogue and dragging exposition to get the point across when a simple action would have sufficed.
The biggest culprit for this is Padilla’s Andres Malvar who is characterized as a hothead who can’t seem to stay out of trouble. Several scenes would have Padilla joining a fight shouting and saying ‘Tigilan niyo yan’ or ‘Tama na’ as he punches the other guy. Not only is it frankly ridiculous and distracting from the ongoing choreography—it is as if Padilla constantly has a glowing sign above labeling him as the team’s resident hothead.
But, everything aside, “Incognito” is at its best when it finds its stride and the plot is set in motion. Without unnecessary exposition to distractsga gaming, the show makes room for what it excels at: action choreography, elaborate schemes, and surprise twists. And with how episode five ended things, it’s safe to say that “Incognito” has had a strong start and that we’re definitely looking forward to more.
